No Big Deal: Volvo S60 Polestar Secretly Set a Record at the ‘Ring

Apparently the Swedes don’t like to brag

Here's a first: a manufacturer set a Nrburgring lap record and didn't immediately brag about it. In fact, it kept the record a secret for about a year. That just-announced record, a 7:51.110 lap time for the fastest four-door roadgoing sedan, was set about a year ago, shortly after the 2016 WTCC Race of Germany.

The record-setting lap was ran while Cyan Racing was testing both race and road cars for the sake of development. The bright blue sedan surprised the team when it clocked its record-setting time, which bests the F10 BMW M5's by four seconds, and the two-door M4's by one.

According to Volvo, the time was kept under wraps for confidentiality surrounding its racing program and the fact that the Swedes apparently aren't prone to braggadocio. It's also likely because Porsche obliterated this time just weeks later with the new Panamera Turbo, claiming a 7:38 lap time. Then, not long after that, Alfa Romeo kicked the door in and recorded a 7:32 lap in the new Giulia.

Still, it is an incredibly impressive achievement for Volvo. The S60 Polestar is fast, but the 2.0-liter twin-charged four-banger puts down 362 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque, a substantial deficit compared to the competition from Germany. Couple that with Volvo's relative newcomer status in the performance sedan game and this brief, secret record is pretty nifty.

Check out the 2017 Volvo S60 Polestar crack around the 'Ring in the video below.